As your kids finish up the school year, the entire family will look forward to spending summer vacation away from home. But before you head out, be sure to take the following seven steps to ensure your plumbing system is ready for its vacation.
- Clean the traps, garbage disposal, and drains.
Since you won’t have water rinsing your drains while you’re gone, any clogs or excess moisture in the drains and traps could cause unpleasant odors. Remove food scraps and clean your drains to help prevent these smells.
- Empty the dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer.
Once you’ve emptied these appliances, keep them open to help prevent mold, mildew, and odors caused by excess humidity. Turn off the ice maker to minimize energy use while you’re away.
- Look for signs of a plumbing emergency.
Before you leave for vacation, check for signs of an impending plumbing emergency. These signs may include inexplicably warm floors (caused by a hot water leak), sound of running water through walls that seems abnormal, smell of sewage coming from drains, discolored pipes, and weak water pressure. Each of these signs deserve the attention of a professional plumber, or you may end up coming home to an expensive plumbing emergency.
- Turn off the main water supply.
Turn off the main water supply and then turn on the faucets throughout the house to drain the standing water from your pipes. Don’t forget to disconnect garden houses, open the spigots to let the water drain, and then turn the faucets off.
- Clean the gutters.
Clean the gutters to ensure summer rain doesn’t cause water damage while you’re away.
- Schedule an inspection with Blue Apple Electric.
A professional inspection will help identify any potential signs you may have missed. During an inspection, a trained plumber will go through the entire home and look for minor plumbing issues that could easily grow worse while you’re away.
- Have a friend or family member regularly check on the home while you’re gone.
Even if you’ve gone through all of these steps, it wouldn’t hurt to have a friend or family member keep an eye on your home while you’re away enjoying your vacation. Better safe than sorry!